As a few states have moved towards reopening businesses, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) and other state restaurant associations have released new guidelines on minimizing human interactions to curb the spread of COVID-19. A growing majority of restaurant guests are supporting these new guidelines too. How can you enable guests to enjoy a convenient dine-in experience that brings them peace of mind, while complying with new public health guidelines? By offering contactless dining in your restaurant, your restaurant can increase table turns and repeat visits, while doing your part to keep your community safe.

What Is Contactless Ordering?

Contactless ordering is a process that enables your guests to place orders for food from the table, without needing to interact with a staff member or touch a physical menu. Once sitting down, guests use their phone to scan a QR code on their table. The QR code takes them to an online menu where they can browse the full menu, customize their meal, and review their final order before submitting it. The order enters your POS system and the kitchen can get started on making food almost immediately after the guest places their order.

Benefits of Contactless Ordering

1. Meet Reopening Guidelines
   The NRA reopening guidelines promote mobile ordering apps and more use of technology. In addition, they recommend that restaurant staff clean and sanitize reusable menus, and that paper menus should be discarded after each customer use. But the costs of updating and reprinting them constantly can add up, and do not offer the benefits that technology can. Staff members will still need to walk from table to table to take orders, which goes against social distancing guidelines. On the other hand, contactless ordering protects both your staff and guests by allowing guests to place orders on their own.
2. Satisfy Guest Demand
   According to the 2020 State of the Restaurant Industry Report, 56% of consumers aged 21 to 38 reported placing a delivery or takeout order via a restaurant app or website. But will the same apply for guests who visit a restaurant to dine on premise? New data suggests that this will be true in the new COVID-19 reality. According to Datassential’s latest April survey, 92% of US diners like the idea of disinfecting or disposing menus each time, while more than ⅔ require it. In fact, 65% of US diners will also accept no physical menus as a new rule.
3. Contactless Ordering Increases Sales
   By using digital menus, restaurant menus can also easily update menus via an online portal, rather than redesigning and printing out menus on paper. In addition, guests placing their own orders “tend to engage with the menu longer and spend 15% to 25% more,” according to restaurant analyst Peter Saleh. With a full menu always within reach, guests can place refills and additions on demand, increasing the check size.
4. Personalize the Guest Experience
   When digitizing the ordering experience, you can also enable guests to easily sign into their account from their phone. Guests can claim loyalty rewards, enter personal information such as allergies and special dates, and view previous orders. The online menu will automatically update to show the guest’s favorite items, while hiding items that they are allergic to.

How to Get Started on Contactless Ordering

1. Create Your Contactless Menu
   The Presto Contactless Dining Kit includes easy setup of your complete menu. You can create your custom mobile menu using a pre-formatted spreadsheet or entering items directly via the web portal. The secure web portal provides a user-friendly interface for your manager to edit menus and other settings.
2. Place QR Codes On Restaurant Tables
   Display the QR codes that are linked to your online menu in your restaurant. You can place numbered QR code stickers or tent cards on tables. Orders will show up on your POS system based on the numbers, enabling your staff members to match orders to tables.
3. Reopen Your Restaurant Safely
   Let your community know that you are reopening with a brand new contactless ordering system to encourage visits. Show off your contactless ordering system on your social media, or send an email to your mailing list that outlines your new safety measures. Your restaurant will be ahead of the game in offering a contactless dining experience and impress your guests.

Want to offer the full contactless dining experience? The Presto Contactless Dining Kit enables guests to be waitlisted, view the complete menu, place orders, and pay at the table—without the need for any human contact. Get set up with the kit in less than an hour with no need to change your existing POS system. Learn more at presto.com/contactless/.